Tainted Angel
by Miss Light Blue Buttons
Summary: The secret has been taken. Hydra will reign supreme if Steve Rodgers and Wren Quipellow don't destroy it. Steven, Sam, and Wren have to stop it before it crushes all hope- And the Captain's friend: Bucky. Rated T for romance and dark suggestion. No smut or lemons.
1. Prologue

**Hello my beauties. You are on a Miss light blue buttons' story. If you meant to click on a Tony/steve smut fanfic then you are in the wrong place. Please click the back button to your left and have a wonderful day. If you are here because you meant to, then welcome! This is the prologue for "Tainted Angel". A wonderful story (if I do say so myself) about Captain america's hunt for Bucky, and Wren's (oc) mission to stop hydra from recreating the super soldier formula. I don't own avengers (IDOA). **

**The song for this chapter is called "the orb of dreamers" by the daniel pemberton tv orchestra. These few paragraphs that are as long as the authors note, are dedicated to Sipsee: A loyal friend whose always there for me. First person to review will get a shout out in chapter two and (optional) get to give me one sentence to base the next chapter from :D Hope that's motivation. Please read next chapter. I swear its longer. **

**Please enjoy, review, pm, follow, favorite, eat icecream, and listen to music. Stay classy, yah losers. -K**

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Love. Such a small word with such a large meaning. It's four letters long, one syllable, noun and verb, and pronounced /lǝv/. The definition of love is an intense feeling of affection. Its interpretation, though, has been debated for centuries. Some people believe that who you fall in love with, is preordained by God, Fate, Destiny. Other people believe it's a purely primal instinct based on sexual attraction and activity. Most people, however, are oblivious when it comes to love. Some go their entire lives wondering if they're loved when its right in front of them. Other people have never felt love and have only given love to power, fame, success, and money. Several people go through life falling in and out of love with countless people. However, the majority of earth struggle with love every day. They fight against pride, equality, respect, authority, financial circumstances, and expectations. Relationships start in a spark and end in flames. They bud, grow, and bloom. They are tested with every action, with every word, with every thought. They last as long as time, or as short as a wave crushed upon the sand. Love cannot be defined. It can't be predicted, or tamed, or controlled. Love is the most uncertain thing in creation. There are many types of love: Love for a son, for a mother, a spouse, a pet, a food, or even a color. Love cannot be defined. Love cannot be defined. Its like try to capture the light of a star, or hush of breeze. Its as impossible as tasting blue, or catching the laugh of a baby. It cant be done. It can only be enjoyed. It can only be endured, and cherished, and, well, _loved._

Love is the center of life. Why else do we strive to do better. We want love from people around us and ourselves. This story is a story about a girl. Just like the rest of us she wanted love. She only had a few handfuls of it but the love she felt was like tasting the heavens. However, like all love, it had to be tested. This is the story about her.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey, Beauties ;) It's Miss light blue buttons. Welcome to chapter numero uno of Tainted Angel! Woot woot! Finally some characters! What will happen? You must read to find out. IDOA (don't own avengers) but I do own all of my oc's, so suck it :) This chapter is pretty good, if I do say so myself *puffs out chest* I hope all of you have a wonderful time reading this. I sure hope for lots of reviews. First reviewer in this chapter also gets a shout out in the next one so :D motivation? *nudge nudge* ehh? I dedicate this chapter to a special someone. Your eyes are the color of chocolate and every time a see you I want to eat you up. **

**The song for this chapter is called "my immortal" by Evanescence. Special tidbit of the day: My last dedication was to my dog. First person to PM your guess of who this chapter is dedicated to (with the chapter number in the message) I'll write you a cameo scene. Am I really this awesome?! Yes, beauties... I really am. **

**Please review, follow, favorite, like, twitter, pin, (heheh) eat something delicious and then say " this is for the Miss", and have a wonderful day :D Stay classy, losers. -k**

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My first memory is of blood. Dark, warm blood pouring down my arm. I'm so confused and scared. Why is there so much blood?

"Mommy stop! You're making me bleed!" I cried trying to pull my hand free from her grasp. It didn't hurt but it was scary. She gave me a shot before, so it wouldn't hurt.

My mother was in tears as she sewed up the back of my wrist, saying, "I know, baby, I know. Mommy will stop soon, I promise." She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her scrubs as she tied the stitches and snipped the end. I watched the back of her long dark hair as she doused a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and put it to my wrist.

The room was filled with crates of storage stuff. Daddy's desk, that I was never allowed to look in, was in a corner next to the safe. Mommy's work stuff was in the other corner but all the metal and needles scared me so I didn't play their, either.

Drying off my wrist and hand, Mommy cleared her throat and smiled at me. She gently put gauze on the area and taped it.

"Mommy why did you do that?" I asked, betrayed, watching as she gave my owie a kiss. She looked up, from where she knelt, her blue eyes sad.

"Because, baby. A lot of bad people wanted a secret so I gave it to you, so you could keep it safe," she answered brushing away my tears with her thumb.

"But why?" I asked still not understanding. She took a shaky breathe before smiling.

"Because Daddy and I and Samuel are gonna keep you safe, no matter what. No one would think that such a brave girl like you, would have it," She teased poking my belly til I smiled, "Can you do that, Cassy? Can you keep the secret safe?" Her face crinkled with worry.

I nodded, my short blonde curls bouncing up and down. I was a brave a girl. I could keep it safe! Well as long as I had Mommy, Daddy, and Sannew.

"Good girl," she approved picking me up and giving me a squeeze. I wrapped my arms around her neck and clung to her as we walked up the stairs out of the basement.

* * *

"But, Mommy, why are you going?" I asked, pulling on her long coat as she opened the door. My mom stopped, crouching next to me, the wind from outside making her hair fly around. Daddy put his hand on Mommy's shoulder.

"Because, honey, Daddy and I have to go on a business trip for a little bit. But Sammy and Aunt and Uncle will keep good care while we're gone. You be good for them okay? No arguing with Sammy. And go to bed when your told," she instructed, playing with my curls.

"Okay, Mommy," I said. I hugged her around the neck and then turned to Daddy when he knelt by me.

"You be a girl, Princess, alright? When Daddy comes home we can go to Disneyland and I'll buy you whatever you want," he said petting my hair.

I couldn't hold my excitement. "Anything I want?" I yelled, pulling on his hands.

"Anything you want, princess," he affirmed hugging me. Standing up, he went over to Sannew.

"Keep track of your sister, Samuel. If anyone wants to meet her that you don't know, then get her somewhere safe. I'm so proud of you, son," He said hugging him, "So proud of you. I love you, Sammy. I'll see you soon"

Sannew said 'I love you, too' and then Mommy started crying and saying goodbye. She said that he was such a good boy and that she loved him. She said to be careful and then they left.

I ran to the window by the door and pressed my face against the cold glass. They walked to our black car in the rain. I yelled for them to come back but they didn't hear. Sannew wouldn't let me go out the door so I had to watch as my parents drove away until i couldn't see them in the dark.

Sannew turned on the TV and we watched Tom and Jerry. I cried for a while but Sannew rubbed my back and I eventually fell asleep.

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I woke up in the middle of the night inside a car. I was laying on Sannew's lap but he was asleep against the door, his dark hair falling into his eyes. Sannew was eight but he acted like he was dad and always bossed me. Lately he's been nicer so I like him again.

I heard voices in the front and tried to listen.

"- found them and threatened the kids- running away- not coming back- Emergency then contact Howard-" Not being able to understand, I drifted off to sleep to the comforting sound of grownups.

I had dreams of Mommy's brown hair and Daddy's yellow hair floating around them a little, as they slept in the water.


	3. Chapter 2

** Hey my beauties! This is Miss light blue buttons :) But ouch guys... 27 views but not ONE review, or favorite.**** It's kind of critical for a writer to have feed back from the readers, but its chill. ** Shout out thank you to FFraspberry for following me :D I love yah! IDOA. This chapter, a certain main character oc, is grown :) Learn personality, more about "the secret", and how she ended up in New York ;D

**This chapter is dedicated to someone who has changed my life. Without you I couldn't go on. If you pm the guess of who you think this dedication is for (ex: sister, pet, best friend, color) then you get a shout out. FIRST correct guess gets shout out and gets a cameo in the next chapter I'm writing :) This chapter's song is called "Sleepy little Town" by the white buffalo with a guest star song of "Kids" by MGMT. Tidbit of the day: Last chapters dedication was to..._ yet to be revealed._ Due to the lack of GUESSERS, the prize still stands. Same rewards apply to that chapter as this chapter dedication guess.**

**Well I REALLY hope that you guys enjoy, REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW, have a great time, take a nap and say "This is for the Miss", and have an epic day :D Stay classy, losers -k**

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Beaver Meadows, Pennsylvania: a little town just barely under 1000 people. Most were family's with one and a half kids, some were single people, and the rest were families with undergraduate kids. I was lopped with the last chunk. Not that I was complaining- Uncle Wes and Aunt Jemm were great. And if they hadn't already had my last name, I would've taken up theirs, at a young age. Sam told me that my name full name is Cassandra Willa Merkins but that "Cassandra" was just in honor of my grandmother, and that ever since I had been born, they called me Willa .

Samuel attended Penn State Hazelton University. He was earning his medical degree as he trained to become a neurosurgeon. I didn't see him much anymore.

Jemm and Wes raised us well. Aunt Jemm went to all the PTSA meetings and to all of my school programs. Uncle Wes came when he could, but it was hard for him to get off work from the shop.

Uncle Wes was Co-founder of a repair auto shop called "Wes and Wally's auto stop". Most people, though, called it "W's shop". That's the way people are in Beaver Meadows : doing things for you that you aren't really okay with, and calling it friendship and good-natured.

That's how the 3,500 students attended Hazelton High school treated me. Well, except Jeremy.

Jeremy Lone. Dark wavy hair, tall, broody, and really sweet. Jeremy was my best friend and I couldn't think of a better boyfriend. He always knew what I wanted to say and do before I did. He knew when to hold me back or when to push me forward. He watched over me and made sure I didn't come off too strong. He was Jeremy, and I loved him.

"Willa?" Jeremy asked gently, touching the back of my hand. I snapped myself back to the present. The night seeped into the dark, unknown depths of the abandoned barn. It was tradition for the teenagers of the town to clean it and decorate the barn as a haunted house. They only used black and strobe lights. All of the senior grads would dress as zombies and hide throughout the house trying spook us.

"Yeah. I'm ready," I told him looking up into his deep green eyes. With his gentle gaze but strong posture I could really believe that he wasn't just wearing a costume; he looked like one of king Arthur's knights. Me, on the other hand, couldn't quite pass off being Pocahontas with my blonde hair.

He smiled and entwined his fingers through mine, as we entered the haunted house. Instantly the doors closed behind us. Jeremy looked down at me at the same I looked up at him. Smiling at him, I squeezed his hand and walked farther into the house. A zombie came out from behind a door and yelled in my face. I screeched a little but began laughing as I hugged Jeremy.

We came across a ghost, a mad scientist, a prison warden, and some werewolfs. It was mostly fun and barely scary. Mainly is was just an excuse for me to be screech and have Jeremy comfort me with his arms Nothing _really _freaked me out until we walked into the insane asylum room.

Laughing we entered. My breath got caught in my throat, mid laugh. The room flickered with light. But I wasn't seeing this room I was seeing one from my memories. Blood. An unclear face of a woman. Metal tables. Silver instruments.

With each flicker of the asylums light, my nerves shocked me with fear. I could only think of blood. Blood all over my arms. Too much. Too young. Too confused.

It took me a minute to realize that someone was shaking my shoulder. My eyes cleared from the foggy memories as I looked up at Jeremy's concerned face.

"Willa. Willa, what's wrong? Can you hear me?" He asked gently touching my head. I could feel myself shaking, trembling with fear. My body wouldn't listen as I tried to calm it down.

I looked back at Jeremy. He was too good for me, "Um, actually I need some air," I rasped. Running out of the room I could hear him yelling my name after me. Finally getting out of the barn, I sat down on the ground, exhausted from the memories. Looking down at my hands I could see the blood from the memories.

Where had those memories come from? Why had the asylum room triggered that? Samuel never talked about blood or a white room. He never really talked about anything to do with our old life. I'd ask him but he'd either be vague or brush it off all together. Our parents had died in a car accident when I was four. Then Jemm and Wes took us in. They raised us as their own children. Loved us like their own children, if they'd ever had any. They never talked about my parents either. The subject was to be avoided as often as possible. I hadn't minded. I didn't even remember them except for the blood.

I calmed down after breathing for a couple of minutes. Oh my giddy aunt. I had ditched Jeremy inside the house. He probably thought I had some kind of physicist breakdown. Well, that was probably true. I needed to go back and tell him that I was okay. Standing up and taking one last deep breathe I headed back into the haunted house.

My phone went off and I saw that it was Samuel trying to get a hold of me. My thumb hovered a moment before I ignored the call. I'd call him back after I had found Jeremy. It should take two minutes tops. I walked past the vampire and the weird "_my precious_" thing and into the doors with the asylum. This time I was prepared for the memories and pushed them down back to my subconscious. I could figure them out later. Right now I needed to find my boyfriend. Looking all over the room, I couldn't find him. I went into the next but still no luck.

Hesitated at the last room, I heard a shot. My heart sank as I hurried into the next room. Darkness clouded my vision but my eyes adjusted fast. I saw a man in a suit with an outstretched gun in his hand.

The other man slowly slid down the wall leaving a dark streak, as he fell.

For I moment, I laughed, thinking that this room was by far the best. They must have used an empty shell to keep the sound and red dye for the blood. As my eyes view sharpened my smile faded. Looking closer I saw that the dying man wore armor and held a shield. It was dark enough in the room that I couldn't see well, but light enough that I could definitely tell that it _was _armor.

My heart sank deeper and deeper as dread took its place. This is all some mental breakdown. This really wasn't happening.

I rushed over to the fallen knight, a sob catching in my throat, as the man in the suit spoke into a hand radio.

"Ohhh no... No. Jeremy. Jeremy, listen to me," I told him sobbing as held him up, his face in my hands. His eyes were glazing over as he looked right through me. His beautiful blue eyes, "Jeremy!" I cried my voice breaking. I could hear voices behind me but none of it mattered. I wasn't worried about safety right now. All that mattered was Jeremy.

"JEREMY!" I screamed shaking him. He didn't respond. I sobbed uncontrollably into his chest for a few minutes before someone yanked me off from him, by the upper arm. Yelping I looked up at the intruder. My mind was slow and weak. It couldn't process anything. Nothing made sense.

Empty eyes stared back at me as I looked away, back to Jeremy. My broken knight.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. In what universe would his death be logical or make sense in any way. It just didn't.

Jeremy was gone. My boyfriend. My first love. My future fiance.

I was shaken out of my second long thoughts once more, when the man took out a syringe and stabbed it into my shoulder.

My mind instantly became fuzzier. The world titled. The last thing I saw was Samuel running through the darkness towards me.

But it was memories of Jeremy filled my dreams.

* * *

Waking up to the smell of eggs and hashed browns made me smile. Man, did I love Aunt J's eggs!

Sitting up in my bed I realized I wasn't in bed. Dumbfounded, I looked around. I was in a car. With Samuel. Who was eating an egg McMuffin.

My chest was struck with pain as last night's memories flooded my mind. I couldn't breath. The hospital room. The gunshot. The men, the syringe, Samuel. And Jeremy. My charming, sexy, sweet, Jeremy. I looked at Samuel who was nervously glancing at me between bites. I was too numb to ask anything but, "What happened?"

He coughed but swallowed his bite of muffin after chasing down with a shot of his orange juice.

He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He cleared his throat again and ran a hand through his hair.

Irritated I interrupted by yelling, "For Pete's sake, Samuel, just tell me already!" He took a deep breath. Relaxing I got ready to hear that I had suffered from a mental breakdown and that he was driving me home from the hospital.

He started to clear his throat again. I fumed, holding up a hand, "If you cough one more time, I swear to all that is pure in life, that I will rip off a testicle." I looked at him, daring him, to call my bluff.

That shut him up pretty quick but he looked over at me annoyed. He took another swallow of orange juice. "What do you remember about Mom and Dad, Willa?" I looked at him confused and exasperated.

"What the holy ham does Mom and Dad have to do with this!?" I yelled.

"Willa," Samuel warned his gaze steeled to the road, "answer the question."

I sighed, turning to look out my window at the green fields and trees. "Nothing," I began but stopped. The hospital room. The blood, the fear.

Sam noticed my falter. He looked quickly at me then back at the road, "What is it?" I turned myself farther away from him, "Come on, Willa, its alright. You can tell me anything."

Sighing I switched on the radio, turning it down as loud music blared through. This was a good song. "Kids" from MGMT. I could feel myself relaxing with every word.

Sam shifted in his seat when I began, " I remember being young. Three or Four. A woman was cutting my arm. I didn't feel anything but I remember the blood. And the fear," Glancing at Sam, I saw he was upset, "That's all."

Sam cleared his throat, and I had to clench my hands and take a deep breath to stop myself from neutering him. "Mom and Dad were scientists. They worked for a group that believed in "cleansing" the earth. Mom and Dad created a formula that would enhance our armies in strength and agility. Their associates wanted to use it for a world wide execution of anyone that posed as a threat. When Mom and Dad figured out that that was what they were going to use it for, they ran. They hid their secret and they ran."

Samuel looked over at me, his shaggy blonde hair falling into his eyes.

"Willa, they didn't die in a car accident. The company they worked for, had them killed. They made it look like an accident." He said his gray eyes intense. I tried to make sense of that. My parents were killed for a top secret weapon that would "cleanse" the earth? This was too much. I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling overwhelmed and under-slept. The headache was definitely coming.

"Dad's brother had a roommate in college. They were all good friends. The roommate's name was Wes. Wes and Jem aren't our Relatives," He told me. My eyes began to sting. A tear fell onto my lap.

"Your name is Cassandra Willa Merkins. We called you Cassy. Your favorite toy was an old hippo named Geoffrey. Dad promised to take you Disneyland and buy you anything when he left. You used to call me-"

"Sannew..." I said remembering now. The off-limits room in the basement. Mom's blue eyes and Dad's blonde hair. I'd call Samuel "Sannew" because I couldn't say his name.

I cried into my hands. My entire life was nothing. I wasn't Willa. I wasn't a Jepps. I was Cassandra Merkins, not Willa Jepps. Anything that I thought was Something, was just Everything being Nothing.

I was never really who I thought I was.

"Willa," Samuel said awakening me from my thoughts, "Willa they downloaded the equation for the formula onto a chip. They implanted that chip into the back of your wrist." He finished warily. "You have the secret, Willa."

Looking down at my shaking hand, I found the pale scar running along the back of my wrist. My mind stopped for a moment.

I looked accusingly at Samuel and demanded, "Why me? Why are you even telling me this?"

"They found you. Mom and Dad's division found you. They will stop at nothing to get that information. They were the ones that- that killed Jeremy." I winced, "They won't stop until they have what they want. Uncle Wes, Aunt Jemm, and I, have been looking after you for these past twelve years. I don't know how but they caught onto our trail. You have to run, Willa. You need to leave." He finished looking at me before back at the road. The pastures and crop fields faded into towns which had faded into the City.

"So you're getting rid of me," I stated finally, after twenty minutes. "Your going to drop me off and leave me."

Samuel looked at me sad and said, "No, Willa. We're not leaving you. I'm giving you two thousand dollars and a name. Stark. He's your emergency contact. Only speak to him if its absolutely necessary. I'm not going to leave you Willa. We're going to track down Mom and Dad's division and stop them."

Fresh tears filled my eyes. I was sixteen. A measly, puny, microscopic sixteen years old. I was barely old enough to drive but somehow having to save the world by leaving everything I'd ever known, was old enough. My life officially sucked.

I looked out the window. We were in New York, New York. The big apple. Yay.

Samuel turned my face towards him and kissed my hairline. Wiping a stray tear he hugged me and whispered, "Its going to be okay. I promise. I'll be looking after you from a distance."

I pulled back, trying to smile. He gave a reassuring one, back, and handed me black hair dye.

"Your name is Wren Quipellow. Your stepfather was abusive so you ran away from home. Your seventeen years old. You listen to 80's music and you hate the color pink," he instructed.

"You have to become Wren Quipellow. She's not a character, she's you now. You keep to the script, and you stay safe," he told me, brushing a piece of my blonde hair behind my ears.

"I have to go now but I'm not leaving you," He told me. He kissed my forehead again and closed the door behind me.

I watched him drive away with my life. All he left me was two grande and a box of black hair dye in exchange for everything I ever loved.

All I had now was box containing my life.


End file.
